Splitters vs. Switches

A lot of people wonder what the difference is between a splitter and
a switch. Basically, a splitter will take one source (such as a
satellite receiver, a cable box, a computer, etc.) and splits the
signal between two outputs. So if you have a HDMI splitter, you
can connect one HDMI source, such as a DVD player, to two HDMI
monitors. Notice that this will not extend your desktop - it will just
show the same image on both screens.

A switch is the opposite of a splitter - it allows you to take two
sources and use the source on one output without having to move cables
around. So if you have a HDMI switch you can
take two HDMI sources and easily switch back and forth on one monitor.